Cassette



July l, 1930. .71.5. FABE El' AL 1,769,370

CASSETTE med oct. 13, 1925 Patented July l, 1930 UNITED. STATES lvPATl-:NT o1-FICE IsADoEE G. FABE, or CINCINNATI, omo, AND GEORGE EARL MAGEE, or LOUISVILLE,

' kKENTUCKY CASSETTE Application led October 13, 1925,. Serial No. 62,311.

An object' of this invention is tofprovide a cassette for use in makingradiographic yX-ray exposures. v

Another object is to provide a device of this kind by means of which two film or plate exposures may be made at short intervals of time, thereby minimizing the possibility of havin a patient move the portion of his body un er examination.

Another object is to provide a device of this kind which may be placed in various positions without impairing its effectiveness.

Another object is to provide a plate or negative shifting cassette whichautomatically shifts films or plates and one which also positions such plates accurately and automatically with relation to the subject under examination'.

These and other objects are attached by Y the means described herein and disclosed in v sections ofthe belts 19 will move equal disthe accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a device of the invention, parts being broken away.

Fig. 2'is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view on line 3--3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a view taken on line 44of Fig. 3. f The device comprises a suitable base 6 which is preferably of a light weight metal such as aluminum and a box like cover comj.

, prising a rectangular frame 7 forming the sides, and a top'having one end 8 impervious toy Roentgen rays and the other end 9 l of the frame 7 provides a convenient seat f upon which the top portions 8 and 9 may be secured. The cover is removably secured upon the base'6 by any suitable clamping means such as 13.

At opposite ends kof the base 6 are parallel shafts 14 and 15 journaled in suitable blocks 16 mounted on orintegral with said base. Shafts 14 and 15 carry pulleys 17 fixedly mounted adjacent their opposite ends. Each of the blocks 16 carries a freely revoluble pulley 18 positioned adjacent to and 1n alignment with one of the pulleys 17. 2e

A continuous belt 19 is passed about the opposite pulleys 17 and over the top of pulleys lby means of pulleys 18. From the foregoing, it will be apparent that when the top portion of the belt 19 is moved longitudinally in one direction, the lower section will move in the opposite direction. Since the pulleys 17 are fixedly mounted on their respective shafts, it will b e apparent that both tances in opposite' directions when motion is imparted to either of the belts 19. The

belts 19 are adapted to support two films,

one supported uponnpper belt sections 2() adjacent shaft 15 and the other supported upon 'lower belt sections 21 adjacent shaft 14, so that one ilm will be disposed beneath the protective lead plate 11 while the other is positioned beneath the vulcanite 9 for exposure. Whenthe last mentioned film has been exposed, theubelts may be moved longitudinally whereupon the exposed film moves beneath the protective plate while the ,other takes its place beneath the vulcanite plate 9. In this way, two films may be successively placed beneath a part of a patients body, without moving the patient so that the required exposure maybe effected. lIt is well understood by those conversantl with the art, that the X-ray tube is moved a short distance between the exposures of the two films so that the two iinished films may be viewed stereoscopically to obtain a proper view of the partunder examination. j

In order to effect an automatic shift movelment of the belts and films carried thereby,

the following simple actuating mechanism has been provided. A pantograph mechanism has a long link 22 pivotally mounted l end to 'the ba upon a pin 23 which is secured to and extends downt'arlly -trom the lower section of one ot the belts 19. The pin Q3 may be secured to the belt by auf.v suitable means nuts or clamping plates 2l. An i one end pivotally connected e op te end of link 22 While a second afm QG has its one end pivotally connected to link 22 intermediate its ends. A short lin f its ends pivotally mounted upon the tree endlv oit arms 25 and The pivot 28 coneting arm and link 27 is elongated and cit/nds downwardly Ainto tbe base G o that said pivotal point ot the pauograplV is a pivotal mediate t has a p 2Q and i uned. An actuating rod 29 has mounting as at 30 on and inter- 'hc ends ot' arm 26. A cross bar 3l 'etai mounting upon actuating rofl of springs C32 are secured at one 6 by any suitable means such The opposite ends of sprino'ze; :ed to the cross bar 3l on oppopivotal mounting` upon act Aol From the foregoing it will Lent that springs exert a constant upon actuating rod 29 and theretl ietain the long,r link arr' .1 Q5

and 2G tint short link 27 in the posi ion show' in dotted lines in Fig. 1. A spring the same time. such movement Will carry' i of the upper portifiu'i ot belts ll) ivliieh are normally disposed beneath the protective plate to a position beneath the vulcanite plate 9. Bj. providing the pa' apli mechanism, the dis-'lince tin-ou .v iicn actuating rod 29 must move to e the desired movement of the lon-ftr link and the belt connected thereto is nutterially reduced. Dash pot 36 and piston 3T mounted on actuating rod :29, serves to retard or dampen the movement of the t oh mechanism and belts when catch pautoejrt. "el is lleI son. Tlns structure renders the operation et the' actuatingr mechanism prat-- ticallf 1nd theretoro eliminates the pt i'tltn.;r a nervous person and to more during the shiftingY ot carried by the belts.

ot the films or plates upon sections 20 a 21 ot belts 19 is effected a@ shown in Fi s. 1 and A sheet of card board or tiexible libre 3S is secured adjacentits opposite edges upon upper sections Q0 of the belts lt) so that said sheet 3S is disposed hin-izontalhv beneath the protective lead plate 11 when the belts are in position with link 22 retained by catch 34, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1. Mounted upon the cardboard 38 an intensifying screen 39 upon which film l() rests. Suitable triangular pockets ll are provided at each of the tour corners ot the rectangular sheet 38 for receiving the corners ot the lilm and thereby? definitely positioning and securing the tilm with relation to the cardboard and belts. This structure is shown in cross section in Fig. 2. The lower sections 21v of belts 19 carry a cardboard or fibre film support sheet l2 similar to tilrn support sheet 3S. and upon sheet l2 is tixedly mounted a second cardboard sheet which is of a thickness substantially equal to the thickness of upper .section 20 of the belts. This :sheet 43 is narrower than sheet 42 so that the upper section 20 of belts 19 may lie in the sante plane with the .sheet t3. An intensifying screen #t4 glued or otherwise secured to the cai oard tilm support and triangular porke" are provided for receiving the second film 15. Glued to the lower face 46 of the .ulcanite plate 9 is a second intensifying sc 'een all' which serves its funetion in the exposure of both ilnls and ll5.

ln exposing the films 4t) and -l it is essen tial that '.aeli tilui assunte the .sante relative position against the intensi 'jing .screen t7 carried by the lower tace o1" vulcanite plate d. For this purposl an aluminum plate -lB uiounted tor reciproffation toward and away from vthe intensifying sereni 4T. As shown in Fig. 3. hollow telescopic members` Lll) and 5f) ha\ ng a Asprinpr 51 contained in the hollow in 'ior thereof are positioned beneath the four tt,-t'ne,:z-. ol the aluminum plato 4S and thewiorc serre at all times to urge the aluminum plate upwardly toward intensifying :screen At on the vulcanite plate f). The members lll and 5t) are :it-cured to the ahtniinun't plate and base ti t' fptciively b.' any suitaole means such as rivtts or the like. ,k tlneadetl stud 5:7. if; lixediy secured ne lower tace o1 aluminum adapted to receive a freely revolulile and interiori)Y threaded collar 53 which if'. retained in faiths: iai abutment il. li?.

vsitli tl e 'oase G by .lucana` o; 5l. From tntl foregoing. u iv...

l collar enti that` when The tin'tailetl on the stud threads oi colla# :i 'tum plaie ire-tuti of he springs 51. p ub-srs )551 tuminum plat 11e cart'lbfV j' l (inw telt-- .ln thiz` way the :nay pass upwardly against. l supports 38 or l2 :o that ghe fl thereby will be held tilt against i the inte-nuit yint,r screen 4T ou vult-unite plato 9. In order to lower the aluminum plate from its clamping position, against the cardboard film support a cord or other suitable flexible member is wound about the collar 53 and is secured thereto by any suitable means such as a rivet, screw or the like, not shown. One end of the cord 55 is secured to a spring 56 which in turn is secured to the inside of base 6 adjacent shaft 14. The opposite end of the cord 55 passes about a suitable pulley 57 and from thence laterally outward through a suitable perforation in one of the longitudinal sides of the frame 7. This second end of the cord carries a block 58 which moves transversely of the frame when the cord is pulled for revolving the collar 53 to lower aluminum plate 48. The block 58 is so positionedthat when stud 52 is moved to the bottom of collar 53, said block 58 will engage the spring catch 34 and carry it out of the path of the pin 35 on link 22 thereby releasing said link and permitting the springs 32 to act upon actuating rod 29 so that the link 22 will move the belts 19 thereby withdrawing one film from beneath the vulcanite plate and projectingr the second film to a position for exposure. pon releasing the cord 55, the spring 56 will rotate the sleeve 53 in the op osite direction thereby projecting the stud) 52 upwardly and assisting the springs 51 in telescoping members 49-50 to again raise the aluminum plate for clamping and positioning the second film tightly against the intensifying screen on vulcanite plate 9.

The operation of the device is as follows: When it is desired to load the cassette, the latches 13 are loosened and the cover and frame 7 is removed thereby exposing the belts and actuating mechanism. 4A film is then positioned upon each of' the cardboard supports as previously explained and the belts are ymoved against the yielding resistance of springs 32 until link 22 assumes a position under the control of 'catch 'or trigger 34. The cover is now replaced and clamped upon base 6, the cord 55 being momentarily pulled out sufficiently to slightly lower the aluminum plate 48. The device is now in condition for successively exposing the two films. When it is desired to expose the films, the device is positioned conveniently with relation to the part to be examined. For example, if the patient is prostrate, the device may be placed fiat upon a table and the patient laid upon theV device. The X-ray tube is then pro erly positioned above the patient and the rst film is exposed. After the first exposure, the rays are shut off and the tube is moved to one side for a distance meters.

The cord 55 is thenkpulled out thereby abutment with the intensifying loweringthe aluminum plate 48 byk means of the threaded sleeve 53 so 4that the film just exposed is released from the clamping action of said plate and at the same time the block 58 is moved outwardly until it abuts the spring catch 34 whereupon the pantograph mechanism is subjected to action of springs 32 so thaty the long link 22 is moved from the position shown in full lines in Fig. l to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. l, which movement'effects uniform longitudinal movement of the upper and lower belt sections and in opposite directions so that the film supports are each carried to the opposite ends of the cassette. This shifting of the films places the exposed film beneath the protective lead plate 11 and moves the unexposed Lfilm to a position vbeneath the vulcanite `plate 9. Now, upon releasing the cord 55, the springs 51 operatin upon the four corners of the aluminum p ate, and the spring 56 operatin upon the cord 55 and sleeve 53 again pus the aluminum plate upwardly so that the second film 40 and its screen 39 may move into screen 47 whereupon this film is in position to be exposed. It will. be observed that in addition to the several advantages heretofore noted, there is another notable advanta e, namely there is required but three intensi ying screens in exposing the two films whereas there would normally be required four of these intensifying screens.

What we claim is: l

1. An automatic film shifting cassette comprising space endless belts disposed in parallelism one with the other whereby the upper and lower portions of said belts are disposed in spaced parallel planes, means for supporting films upon the upper and lower portions of said belts, means for effecting uniform movement of said belts whereby the film supporting means may be moved toward opposite ends of their respective sections, a covery plate for the belts and films, said cover plate comprising ar portion of material impervious to Roentgen rays and a second portiony permeable to Roentgenrays, and means for clamping the film ysupport means against the last mentioned portion of the cover. y

2; An automatic film shifting cassette comprising a base carrying pairs of spaced pulleys, endless belts carried by each pair of pulleys, a film support member secured at its opposite sides to the belts, a cover plate mounted abovey the pulleys, and belts, spring actuated means for effecting movement of the belts whereby the film support 'member isy shifted beneath the cover, means adapted to clamp the film support member against the cover plate and means for retracting the film support clamping means llO and adapted to release the spring actuated shifting means.

In a device of the class described the combination of a casing7 a pair of support members normally disposed at opposite ends of the casing and mounted for simultaneous shifting movement for effecting reversal of said members within the casing, an intensifying screen carried by each of said inembers, means t'or mounting a photographic film on each ot the screens on the support members, a cover plate for the casing comprising a portion impervious to Roentgen rays and a second portion pervious to Roentgen rays, a fixed intensifying screen secured to the lower side of said second portion of the cover and means for moving a clamping member toward the fixed intensifying screen whereby films carried by the support members may he sequentially clamped against the fixed intensifying screen.

Li. In a device of the class described the comhinatioi'i of a cover plate having one end pervious to Roentgen rays, a pair of shiftable supports normally disposed one beneath each end of the cover7 intensifying screens on each shiftable support, a lixed intensifying screen on the said end of the cover plate, and means for moving the supports against the fixed intensifying screen.

5. An automatic iilm shifting cassette comprising the combination of a light-proof casing including a cover, the cover having one portion pervious to Roentgen rays and the remaining portion impervious to Roentgen rays, a pair of shiftable supports in the casing adapted to normal positioning one beneath each portion of the cover, sprin tension means for reversing the position ofi said supportsr` trigger means for releasing the spring tension means whereby to permit ieversai` ot' the supports, means disposed beneath the pervious portion of the cover adapted to normally press a support against the said pervious portion of the cover and unitary neans controlling the clamping means and the trigger means whereby to simultaneously release the support from clamping position and to release the spring tension means whereby the supports are reversed, release ot the unitary means serving to permit the clamping means to press the opposite support toward the pervious portion ot the cover.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto subscribed our naines this 9th day of October, 1925.

ISADORE G. FABE. GEORGE EARL MAGEE. 

